Chapter 40: Singing "Love You" for Him

After the cake was divided, the karaoke session began.

The boys, full of bravado, queued up a slew of classic hits beloved by the older generation:
“Men, cry if you must, crying is not a crime…”
Niu Yifeng raised the microphone and sang with fervor: “Friends walk together all our lives~ those days will never return!”
His singing was nothing short of a wailing cacophony, completely out of tune.
No technique, no emotion—just pure shouting.
Eventually, they all plugged their ears, feeling as if their eardrums might rupture.
It was truly unbearable—so awful they thought they might lose their minds!

Someone suddenly spoke up, “Hey, what about Qiao, shouldn’t she sing?”
Back when she first started college, Qiao Zhen had sung on stage, captivating the campus forum; since then, everyone knew the art department had a freshman with an enchanting voice.

In an instant, every gaze aligned, focusing on Qiao Zhen.
She was eating slowly, had just finished a bite of tiramisu, and was caught off guard when mentioned. She lifted her head in a daze.
Her beautiful eyes blinked, long lashes fluttering, and she nodded gently, her voice soft:
“I’d love to~”

She took a microphone and turned to Qin Yichi, tilting her head slightly, asking,
“What would you like to hear?”
After all, it was his birthday, and she was just offering a birthday song.
It wasn’t simply that she wanted to sing for him.
No… definitely not.

Qin Yichi gazed deeply into her eyes, silent, his throat moving after a long pause, unguarded heat in his gaze, his voice husky:
“Love You.”

“?” Qiao Zhen’s mind froze, struggling to process those two sudden words.
Her heart trembled involuntarily.

Qin Yichi leaned back against the sofa, hiding the depth in his eyes, his posture lazy and relaxed, and repeated:
“Sing ‘Love You’, is that alright?”

Qiao Zhen quickly understood, nodded, and softly agreed.
The boys immediately switched the track and listened intently: Cyndi Wang’s version of “Love You.”

The lively accompaniment began, the melody trickling like a clear spring, gently tapping against their hearts.
Qiao Zhen sang softly into the microphone, her voice sweet and genuine.
Her voice was truly beautiful—unaffected, sincere, brimming with real emotion.

Amplified through the microphone, her sweet tones lingered in everyone’s ears, like honey, blooming quietly in the softest corner of their hearts.

Qin Yichi’s breath deepened, his gaze fixed on Qiao Zhen’s face, eyes bright with appreciation and a hint of desire.

When she smiled, her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with countless stars, radiant and dazzling. Her lips curved, dimples forming lightly.

Every gesture was irresistibly captivating.

Qiao Zhen may not have realized that, when she sang, she was like a pearl refracting brilliant light.

The most beautiful, most exquisite sight in the world.

She truly underestimated herself.

Qin Yichi’s fingers tightened slightly, his chest rising uncontrollably, a blush creeping up his neck.

The whole private room seemed to bubble with pink hearts, suddenly warm and cozy.

“In your heart,”
“Am I the only one…”

Qiao Zhen sang these lines into the microphone, and couldn’t help but glance at Qin Yichi.

The next moment, she met his deep, seductive gaze.

His eyes, like whirlpools, drew her in, filled with rich, unspoken emotion.

Her voice wavered slightly.

She quickly withdrew her gaze, looking away.

When she finished, everyone felt as if their ears had melted, like lying on a soft cloud.

Their spirits soared.

Truly, she embodied the phrase “beautiful and sweet-voiced.”

Everyone exclaimed in surprise, “Damn, that’s incredible! Hidden talent!”

“No, no, Qiao, you have to sing more! Don’t let those duck-throated guys near the mic!”

Qiao Zhen quietly set down the microphone, smiling gently, a bit embarrassed by the praise.

They sang until nearly ten thirty before wrapping up, intent on commemorating the night with a group photo before leaving.

Niu Yifeng called over a server to help take the photo, eagerly squeezing onto the sofa: “Come on, say cheese!”

At the mention of a group photo, Qiao Zhen’s lashes quivered, her fingertips suddenly stiff, lips pressed together silently.

She disliked group photos.

In family pictures, her brother always stood in the center, her mother and stepfather on either side, while she was always on the edge—or absent altogether.

Her mother’s bedside album bore no trace of her.

Because she didn’t matter.

She was the extra person in the family.

Suddenly, Qiao Zhen remembered last year, when they celebrated Ji Xian’s birthday at a karaoke bar.

She didn’t know how to play their games—dice, drinking—and could only quietly sing on the sidelines.

When Yu Wenjian suggested a group photo, Ji Xian naturally took the central spot, surrounded by several boys.

Qiao Zhen sat quietly on the edge, in the most inconspicuous corner, withdrawn and silent.

Later, Ji Xian’s friends posted updates, deliberately cropping her out…

Countless memories flashed by, tinged with bitterness, slowly overwhelming her, making it hard to breathe.

Qiao Zhen rubbed her eyes, feeling sleepy, instinctively moving away.

Suddenly, a warm hand gently grasped her wrist, pulling her back.

“Where are you going?”

Qin Yichi’s gaze was deep, his eyes serious as he patted the seat beside him, lips curving in a slow smile:

“Come here.”

When he smiled, the tear-shaped mole under his right eye was especially striking, alluring and mesmerizing.

Why hadn’t she noticed before how handsome and charming he was?

Qiao Zhen was momentarily dazzled by his looks, and let herself be pulled to the center.

The central spot…?

It almost felt as if it were her birthday.

A subtle feeling welled up in her heart.

She shifted slightly and gently tugged Qin Yichi’s shirt: “Move a bit closer.”

He replied carelessly, “Alright,” and slid over, his warm body nearly pressed against hers.

Qiao Zhen felt nothing amiss, flashed a peace sign at the camera, her eyes sparkling.

The server braced himself in a horse stance, adopting the most professional pose, snapping a flurry of photos.

The boys goofed around during the shoot, and were very satisfied with the results.

Zhang Yu was about to post to his feed when he scratched his head and asked:

“Qiao Zhen, is it okay to post the original photo? Do you need it retouched? My sister insists on editing hers before posting!”

Qiao Zhen didn’t mind, her voice soft: “It’s fine, just post it.”

No sooner had she spoken than their social media feeds were flooded with the photos, accompanied by all sorts of quirky captions.

Qiao Zhen rarely posts, but today she couldn’t resist joining in, keeping pace with everyone.

No added text, just a few simple unedited photos.

There was the sunset, the cake, the group photo…

In the group shot, she and Qin Yichi sat in the center, everyone smiling genuinely, happiness shining from their faces.

For a moment, the burning, reckless afternoon sunlight seemed still to cloak her heart, bit by bit dispelling the darkness.

She thought quietly to herself that she would never forget this day.

On the way back to campus, the night breeze gently picked up as the group walked leisurely.

The boys linked arms up ahead, Qiao Zhen and Qin Yichi trailing at the rear.

Night was deep, the sky studded with brilliant stars, like a river of light.

“The night is so beautiful,” Qiao Zhen murmured, gazing at the bright moon, lips curving in awe.

She didn’t know that a fervent gaze was resting upon her.

Qin Yichi followed her gaze, looking up at the moon, imprinting the scene in his memory.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

His birthday wish this year—

[Let my secret love come true.]